MODULE FOR PACKAGES

Abstract

One variation may include a method including providing a module for packaging, delivering and displaying goods in the module, the module including at least one face which may be removed, retracted or moved to display goods prepackaged in the module, packaging a plurality of goods in the module, delivering the module to a factory, office, hospital, warehouse or retail store, removing, retracting or moving a face of the module to display the goods prepackaged in the module. Another variation may include a module including the elevator floor system and at least one sensor for determining the height of stacked packages within the module.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The field to which the disclosure generally relates to includes pre-packaged or pre-stocked modules and methods of making and using the same.

BACKGROUND

Factory, hospital, office, warehouse and retail shipping requires that the shipped goods change packaging several times before arriving at the end user or any retail location. Climate control items (emergency or medical supplies) or time-sensitive items compound this issue. At retail locations, packaging often has to further accommodate display hardware.

SUMMARY OF ILLUSTRATIVE VARIATIONS OF THE INVENTION

One variation may include providing a module for packaging, delivering and displaying goods in the module, the module including at least one face which may be removed, retracted or moved to display goods prepackaged in the module, packaging a plurality of goods in the module, delivering the module to a factory, office, hospital, warehouse or retail store, removing, retracting or moving a face of the module to display the goods prepackaged in the module.

In one variation the at least one face may comprise a door which may be swung open to display the goods.

In one variation the at least one face may comprise a retractable the material.

In one variation the at least one face may comprise a soft protective material.

In one variation the module may be delivered to a retail store and displayed directly as a point-of-purchase display.

In one variation the module may include an elevator floor system constructed and arranged to automatically move according to the height of packages loaded onto or offloaded from the module.

In one variation the module may include an elevator floor system constructed and arranged to automatically move according to the height of packages loaded onto or offloaded from the module, the elevator floor system comprising a floor suspended from the module by a flexible material.

In another variation the elevator floor system comprises at least one sensor for determining the height of stacked packages within the module.

In another variation the module having an opening formed therein constructed and arranged so that packages they be deposited in the module through the opening, the elevator floor system further comprising at least one sensor for determining the when the module is full of packages.

In another variation the module having an opening formed therein may further comprise a communication device constructed and arranged to send a signal communicating when the module is full of packages.

One variation may include a module having an elevator floor system including a floor, a sensor for determining the height of packages stacked on the floor, a means for moving the floor, a controller operatively connected to the means for moving the floor and the sensor wherein the controller is constructed and arranged to send a signal to the means for moving the floor so that the height of the packages are at a predetermined height.

One variation may include a method comprising providing a module having an elevator floor system including a floor, a sensor for determining the height of packages stacked on the floor, a means for moving the floor, a controller operatively connected to the means for moving the floor and the sensor and constructed arranged to receive input from an operator specifying the height of packages from a floor on which the operator is standing, inputting into the controller a specified height for the packages, pacing a second package in the module on the floor or on top of packages in the module that are stacked on the floor, allowing the controller to adjust the height of the floor so that the second package is moved so that the height of the packages stacked on the floor including the second package is at the height specified by the operator.

Other illustrative variations of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while disclosing optional variations of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESORPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Select examples of variations of the invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a module having a movable floor 24 and a plurality of packages stacked on the movable floor according to a number of variations of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a module having a movable floor and having a plurality of packages stacked on the movable floor that is less than the number of packages stacked on the movable floor in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a casing including a first open side and an opposite second open side constructed and arranged to receive a module according to a number of variations of the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a module constructed and arranged to be received in the casing illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates a casing having a module received therein and wherein the module includes a retractable side panel according to a number of variations of the invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method of removing a module from a casing according to a number of variations of the invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates modules in a side-by-side relationship, each having a plurality of packages stacked on a movable floor of the module and wherein the packages stacked on the movable floor in both modules are at a predetermined height according to a number of variations of the invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a method of stacking packages on a module having an elevator floor where in the modules are constructed and arranged to maintain the height of packages stacked on the floor at an operator selected height according to a number of variations of the invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates a method of delivering a prepackaged module and displaying the contents of the module in a hospital, office, or retail facility according to a number of variations of the invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates a method of delivering a prepackaged module and displaying the contents in a warehouse facility according to a number of variations of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view with portions removed of a module showing a plurality of elastic members attached to the floor according to a number of variations of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE VARIATIONS OF THE INVENTION

The following description of the variations is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

FIGS. 1-2 illustrate a module 10 having a floor 24 and a plurality of packages stacked on the floor 24 according to a number of variations of the invention. In a number of variations the floor 24 may be or may not be movable. The module 10 may include a first rectangular early shape side frame 12 an opposite spaced apart second rectangular early shaped side frame 14. A roof 16 may extend between the side frames 12, 14. One or more support members 18 may extend between the side frames 12, 14 opposite the roof 16. A plurality of wheels 20 may be attached to the module, for example to the side frames 12, 14. Each of the first and second side frames 12, 14, may have a side face 22 attached thereto. In another variation, the side face 22 may have an end first attached to a spring biased roller (not shown) positioned near the roof 16 and a second end attached to a movable floor 24 so that the second end of the side face 22 moves with the movable floor 24. The side face 22 may be flexible, retractable, movable or detachable. A plurality of packages 26 may be placed on the movable floor 24. The movable floor 24 may be moved passively or may be actively controlled and moved using any of a number of means including, but not limited to, a motor driven belt or chain attached to the floor 24, or a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator system connected to the floor 24. One or more controls 28 may be provided on the module and connected to a means for raising and lowering the movable floor 24. In one variation, a plurality of elastic members may extend from the side frames 12, 24 or the roof 16 and attached to the floor 24 to bias the floor in an upward direction towards the roof. In one variation, the elastic members 25 (best seen in FIG. 11) have a relatively linear resistance to the force being applied to the number of and weight of the packages 26 stacked on the movable floor 24 so that the height of the packages 26 stacked on the floor is a relatively constant height from the floor on which the module 10 rest.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-4, in a number of variations, a casing or shell 30 may be provided to enclose at least a portion of the module 10. In one variation, the casing 30 encloses or surrounds the front portion 50, roof portion 52, back portion 54, and bottom portion 56 of the module 10. The casing 30 may have a first side opening 31 and an opposite second side opening 33 to expose the respective first side portion 58 and second side portion 60 of the module 10. As illustrated in FIG. 4, in one variation, a door 36 may be pivotally connected to one of the side frames 12, 14 to at least partially close the front portion 50 of the module 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 5-6, the module 10 may be received in the casing 30. The module 10 may be removed from the casing 30 by an operator 38, for example, when the module 10 is full of packages. The module 10 may also be equipped with a communication device 62 which may send a signal to alert the operator 38 that the module 10 is full of packages 26.

As illustrated by FIG. 7, first and second modules 10 may be provided in a side-by-side relationship both including a movable floor 24 in a means for moving the floor constructed and arranged so the height, shown by line H, of packages 26 stacked on the movable floor 24 remains relatively constant without regard to the number of packages or the weight of the packages stacked on the movable floor 24.

Referring now to FIG. 8, in a number of variations the module 10 may include a means for moving the movable floor and for the operator to select a height of packages that are stacked on the floor such that the movable floor 24 moves so that the height of the packages stacked in the floor remains relatively constant and at the level selected by the operator. This provides the advantage of allowing operators of different height to repeatedly place packages in the module 10 at a height that is comfortable for the operator. This may be particularly advantageous when a plurality of packages 26 are provided by a conveyor 44 or repeatedly placed on a table 44 in front of the operator to be packaged in the module 10.

Referring now to FIG. 9, in a number of variations, the module 10 may or may not include a movable floor 24. Nevertheless, the module 24 may be prepackaged with a number of packages and delivered to a factory, hospital, office, warehouse or retail facility where in the packages 26 stacked in the module 10 may be made visible, in one variation, a counter 46 may be provided and constructed and arranged to provide openings there under into which one or more modules 10 may be placed in a manner displaying the packages 26 stacked in the module 10. When the packages 26 in the module 10 have been removed, the module 10 can be simply rolled out from underneath the counter 46 and sent back to the supplier to repackage the module 10 with new packages 26. This may be particularly advantageous as the module 10 is used to ship, store and display the packages 26 therein. Thus, it is not necessary to remove the packages 26 from the module 10 and then move the packages 26 into a different storage or display device. In one variation, the module 10 may have a hard casing 30 covering the sides 22, front portion 50, roof portion 52, back portion 54 and bottom portion 56 and may be particularly useful for sensitive materials such as medical supplies or refrigerated items.

FIG. 10 illustrates a method of delivering a module 10 having a number of packages 26 prepackaged therein and being delivered to a warehouse wherein the modules 10 are positioned in warehouse shelving 66 or a storage location so that the packages are visible. Consumer retailers such as, but not limited to, Costco, Lowes, Home Depot, or Walmart may benefit from the modules 10 because the modules 10 simplify warehouse storage, shelving and delivery from trucks. The module 10 may also be used as a “point of purchase” display so that less display hardware would be needed by retailers.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view with portions removed of a module 10 showing a plurality of elastic members 25 attached to the floor 24 according to a number of variations of the invention.

The above description of select examples of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations or variants thereof are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method comprising providing a module for packaging, delivering and displaying goods in the module, the module comprising at least one face which may be removed, retracted or moved to display goods prepackaged in the module, packaging a plurality of goods in the module, delivering the module to a factory, office, hospital, warehouse or retail store, removing, retracting or moving a face of the module to display the goods prepackaged in the module.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one face may comprise a door which may be swung open to display the goods.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one face may comprise a retractable the material.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one face may comprise a soft protective material.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the delivering comprises delivering the module to a retail store and displaying the package in the module as a point-of-purchase display.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the module comprises an elevator floor system constructed and arranged to automatically move according to the height of packages loaded onto or offloaded from the module.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the module comprises an elevator floor system constructed and arranged to automatically move according to the height of packages loaded onto or offloaded from the module, the elevator floor system comprising a floor suspended from the module by a flexible material.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the module comprises at least one sensor for determining the height of stocked packages within the module.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the module has an opening formed therein constructed and arranged so that packages may be deposited in the module through the opening, module further comprising at least one sensor for determining the when the module is full of packages.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the module further comprises a communication device constructed and arranged to send a signal communicating when the module is full of packages.

11. A method comprising providing a module having an elevator floor system including a floor, a sensor for determining the height of packages stacked on the floor, a means for moving the floor, a controller operatively connected to the means for moving the floor in the sensor and constructed arranged to receive input from an operator specifying the height of packages from a floor on which the operator is standing, inputting into the controller a specific height for the packages, placing a second package in the module on the floor or on top of packages in the module that are stacked on the floor, allowing the controller to adjust the height of the floor so that the second package is moved so that the height of the packages stacked on the floor including the second package is that the height specified by the operator.

12. A module having an elevator floor system including a floor, a sensor for determining the height of packages stacked on the floor, a means for moving the floor, a controller operatively connected to the means for moving the floor and the sensor and constructed arranged to move the floor so that the height of the packages are at a predetermined height.

13. A product for packaging, delivering and displaying goods comprising a module having an elevator floor system including a floor for stacking packages on the floor, the module having a resting surface supporting the module, a sensor for determining the height of packages stacked on the floor, a means for moving the floor so that height of the packages above the resting surface the stacked on the floor remains substantially contact.

14. A product as set forth in claim 13 wherein the module comprised wheel for contacting ground and moving the module, and wherein the resting surface is the wheels.

15. A product as set forth in claim 13 wherein the module comprises a roof, and the means for moving the floor comprises an elastic material attached to the floor and to the connected to the roof.

16. A product as set forth in claim 13 wherein the module comprises a first side frame and a second side frame, and the means for moving the floor comprises an elastic material attached to the floor and to the connected to at least one of the first side frame or the second side frame.

17. A product as set forth in claim 13 further comprising a controller operatively connected to the means for moving the floor and the sensor and constructed arranged to move the floor so that the height of the packages are at a predetermined height.

18. A product as set forth in claim 13 wherein the at least one face may comprise a door which may be swung open to display the goods.

19. A product as set forth in claim 13 wherein the at least one face may comprise a retractable the material.

20. A product as set forth in claim 13 wherein the at least one face may comprise a soft protective material.